Death Penalty Facts

The death penalty has been around since the Eighteenth Century using execution ways such as drowning and beating to death. Many changes have also occurred throughout the time the death penalty has been around such as, the execution methods and what states or countries choose to invest in use of the death penalty. Britain influenced the United States' use of the death penalty more than anyone else. the United States today, there are 34 states that are for the death penalty, while 16 of the states are against.

There have been more than 1200 executions since the 1970's and in 2011 there have been 11, so far. All races are have been either executed or victimized in cases involving the death penalty. Research shows, there are more black suspects that have been put to death over any other race, but whites are the highest race who are victims that have been murdered. Also, there have been 61 women who have been executed in the United States.

Texas stands as the number one on the list of states that carry out executions. All of the states are using lethal injection as their method of execution. This method is painless, yet quick, for the criminals. The death penalty is the ultimate punishment for those who commit capital crimes, such as murder. When sentenced to the death penalty it requires a lengthy process, which requires a mass amount of money. Giving a criminal the death penalty costs a lot more than keeping a person in jail for life.
*All information used from 1976-2011



Death penalty cost. (2008, July 1). Retrieved from http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/death-penalty-cost/page.do?id=1101084

Death penalty information center. (2011, April 11). Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/FactSheet.pdf

Statistics. (2011, January). Retrieved from http://www.antideathpenalty.org/statistics.html